What do you value about Indianapolis?

The last four and half years I’ve spent in Indianapolis have been truly formative to my identity development as a Black person. I never thought I would end up living in the Midwest and I didn’t anticipate staying past my corps commitment. However, Indianapolis helped me find myself. Aside from the winters, this city has forced me out of my comfort zone in more ways than one: from being a classroom teacher in IPS to wrestling with imposter syndrome transitioning into my role in the Superintendent’s Office. I’ve become steadfast in my identity, and I am constantly working toward showing up as my full authentic self in every space that I occupy. I feel like I am truly coming into my own as a leader and I am excited to see where this journey takes me as I continue to work to make impact for students in the city. 

What advice do you have for Black corps members?

Try being intentional about checking out different events throughout the city. During my first couple years in the city, I would always complain about there being nothing to do here. This was probably because by the time I got done teaching every day, I didn’t want to go anywhere. The Exchange is the Indianapolis Urban League’s young professionals group and its good place to start. Indy Black Millennials and Juneteenth Social are two new organizations that launched this year to give young professionals of color a space to network and engage with one another. I’ve met some really awesome people by attending their events.